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The unusual title for this photograph resulted from a nice combination of light, tide, and the sharp observation of my wife. She was the first to spot the large dog in this photograph. When first she said, "Oh! Look at that dog!" my response was "Where?", "Can't you see it?" she said, "it's so obvious!".
Looking hard for a real dog it was some moments before I saw it. The rocky prominence jutting out into the water has a remarkable resemblance to a large dog, lying down, forelegs stretched out, as if sleeping. Formed by the light and shade on the rock its nose and left eye are clearly and realistically delineated. I had fortuitously just arrived at the right position and at the right time when the height of the tide brought the dog to 'life'.
In reality of course this rocky prominence is known as An Dùn, the site of an ancient castle very few traces of which are left. J H Dixon's 'Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree has this to say;
Probably it was more of a fortification than a castle. Some of the low banks or lines of stones on this rocky eminence are said to be the ruins of the castle walls. This Dun is said to have been a stronghold of the MacBeaths, and subsequently of the M'Leods.
An Dùn is referred to in Professor Watson's 'Place Names of Ross and Cromarty'. Intriguingly he also lists an adjacent place name Caisteil na Cloinne which means 'The Children's Castle'; a rock full of holes in which children play. This name no longer appears on Ordnance survey maps but maybe a trip to the local Gairloch Heritage Museum will reveal the exact location of 'The Children's Castle'.
The view is taken in the early morning from a peninsula known as An Ard, looking over Loch Gairloch to Achtercairn, Strath and Lonemore, all parts of the village known as Gairloch.
North-west Highland Place Names
The landscape of the North-west Highlands and the Gaelic language are intimately connected. Other languages have contributed to the richness of our place names, notably Norse, but the North-west Highlands have for centuries been a Gaelic landscape. In listing the meanings of place names I have relied on authoritative sources wherever possible. For further information about sources please refer to North-west Highland Place Names in the main menu.
Achtercairn; Gaelic is Achd-a’-chàrn meaning ‘Field of the Cairn’.
An Ard;, Gairloch, adjoining An Dun, Gaelic; ‘the promontory.
An Dun;, Gairloch, Gaelic An Dùn; ‘the Fort’, there are traces of such.
Gairloch; Gaelic, village named after the loch of the same name, Loch Gairloch, An Gearr-loch, the short loch.
Loch Gairloch; Gaelic An Gearr-loch, the short loch.
Lonemore; Part of Gairloch. Gaelic; an Lòn Mór meaning the ‘great damp meadow’ according to Watson and ‘the big meadow’ according to Apamapa.
Strath; Part of the Gairloch settlement, Gaelic; an Srath (Watson) A’ Srath (Wentworth), that is ‘the low ground’.
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